The Britton Deerfield football team kept its playoff hopes alive by notching a 21-3 road victory over Tri-County Conference opponent Sand Creek Friday night, the team's third win in as many games.

"We got off to a slow start, but we dominated the entire second half," said Britton Deerfield coach D.J. Lutz. "Give Sand Creek some credit. They don't have much to play for, but they played their hearts out tonight."

The Aggies (2-6, 2-4 TCC) took the lead on the opening drive, behind a pair of long runs by senior quarterback Kolton Alcock, which set up a 32-yard field goal from classmate Brandon Williams. Sand Creek was otherwise held scoreless on Senior Night.

"I give credit to the seniors," said Sand Creek coach Ernie Ayers. "I told our captains after the game, 'I think this one of our toughest years ever for captains here.' Our kids play hard, they compete, but we've been coming up a little bit short. That wears on you."

Alcock finished the game with 61 yards on 10 rushes. Sophomore tailback Charlie Robertson added a team-high 71 yards on the ground over 17 carries.

The Patriots (5-3, 4-2) took the lead on a drive that began at their own 20 with just over 3 1/2 minutes until the break. Senior quarterback Nathan Hoffman punched the ball in from eight yards out on the 10 play of the series for the halftime score of 7-3.

Hoffman rushed seven times for 17 yards and a touchdown to go with 4-of-8 passing for 42 yards.

Off the heels of a career-high 329-yard rushing performance with three scores last week, junior running back Leighton Merritt piled on a game-best 178 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns against Sand Creek.

"We competed every second of the game tonight, and at halftime we were certainly in it," Ayers said. "Even in the third quarter, we were still in it. That's the way it goes, though."

Both teams were forced to punt following long drives to open the second half, giving the Patriots the ball on their own 25 with 2:12 until the fourth quarter. Britton Deerfield drove steadily down the field, before Merritt eluded a pack of would-be tacklers, bouncing outside for a 7-yard touchdowns scamper with just over two minutes gone in the fourth.

Merritt capped off the scoring with an 8-yard run to paydirt with 4:24 left in the contest.